[Leica] Lee's PAW

[Engl6914 at cableone.net (Lee England)]

Luis wrote:

> Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2006 08:34:01 +0100
> From: Luis Miguel Casta?eda <lmc@interlink.es>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Lee's next PAW
> To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
> Message-ID: <1691382D-DCAF-427C-B973-CCD0F1D120C1@interlink.es>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
> 
> 
> On 13/03/2006, at 3:36, Lee England wrote:
> 
>>     This is a print I did yesterday from a trip taken back during
>> Katrina--in September.  Yeah, I'm behind on my printing.  It's
>> taken along
>> the seawall at the fishing town of Essaouira in Morocco.
> 
> I grew up in another moroccan town. I know that place, it's still as
> I remember. Some things remains the same. Nice image.
> 
> My only complain is that it looks a bit overwarming for my taste,
> bu't it's just me.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/album387/essaouiraseawall


Luis,
Thanks for taking the time to comment.  This was an experiment for me.  With
the demise of Agfa Classic fiber I'm having to learn new papers.  I'm trying
Oriental Seagull and Forte fiber multicontrast.  Each tones much differently
from the other.  The warm look of this print (on Forte Elegance) is from
toning first in selenium and then snatching at the first noticeable change.
The toning is then completed in Fotospeed sepia.  This print seems better to
me than the straight black and white image.  What I need to do is try it
fully selenium toned and in selenium only.  The look would be cooler than
what you see, but not as cool as the straight B&W.
    Oriental, however, hardly has a noticeable change in selenium, and
rather little in Kodak Brown.
    I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to Morocco.  My daughter is in the U.S.
Peace Corps in the Sahara Desert.  I rendevoued with her in Marrakesh.
Hottest place I've ever been, though my daughter, used now to the Sahara,
got chilly at night.  I was a little nervous getting among many Islamics but
found them all pretty friendly--more so than many American cities.  Many
didn't like their picture taken and would hide their faces when I raised the
Leica, or bark out a "no".  So I took after a day or two to using the
Rolleiflex--much less threatening to them.  My daughter said they thought I
was imaging their soul.  After another day or two I took the Leica back out.
Hell with it--I'm just too fast and good with the Leica to leave it in the
bag.  I started shooting again, and now it didn't seem to bother them ( or
maybe me) so much.  A damn mind game, I think.  Just don't look them in the
eye after you take the picture--too personal, then--just look down and
pretend to adjust the camera or be seeing what's wrong with it.  Or, you can
just smile at them afterwards--that seems to work some.

Lee England
Natchez, Mississippi